


The Binary Pair

by DanTanner20



Category: Historical RPF, Political RPF - Russian 20th c., Russian Royalty RPF
Genre: 1980s, Alternate Universe - 1980s, Alternate Universe - College/University, Computer Programming, Computer Science Stuff, Drama & Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Fluff, Some Humor, University of California Berkeley
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:27:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29598300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanTanner20/pseuds/DanTanner20
Summary: A 1980s University AU for the Romanovs. CS student Olga, freshly dumped by her former boyfriend, Pavel Voronov, wonders if she will be able to move on and find someone new. Enter Dmitri Chakh Bagov, a prestigious programmer, casual athlete, and simple man trying to find his way in the world. Will be a three shot, I guess.
Relationships: Olga Nikolaevna Romanova/Dmitri Chakh Bagov
Comments: 8
Kudos: 1





	1. Dumped

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! This originally started off as a daydream, and sort of grew into something else. As a computer science student and a fan of 1980s pop culture, I wondered how the Romanovs would have fared in that time.
> 
> NOTE: the term "boy toy" back in the 80s actually meant boyfriend, not a male prostitute.

_ August 31, 1985 _

Olga Romanova seemed like a typical well-to-do woman in 1980s San Francisco. She had flowing dark blonde hair down past her shoulders, and her figure was the envy of some of her female peers. Her skin was without much blemishes, except for a cross shaped birthmark on the nape of her neck. Her father and mother had taken it as an omen that their daughter was destined for a great fate under God. With a modest height of 5’5’’ and a slim build like that of her father, she had often been seen as blessed by her friends. Of course, with a slim figure came a smaller cup size of 25C, which Olga still felt uncomfortable with. Perhaps that was why her boyfriend Pavel Voronov had dumped her for another, more “attractive” Olga Paley in her class.

Despite the passage of a week, she could not understand why her boyfriend had lost interest in her. Their relationship had started out so strong, with laughter, hugs, and kisses. Now, she would never hold him again as his “smart cookie”.

Olga continued to sob into her pillow, pounding her fists into it over and over again. She could not believe that the unthinkable had happened. Pavel Voronov, her boyfriend of four years, had dumped her. She had wanted to marry him after her computer science degree was completed. She wanted to lie with him as his wife and his love. She had wanted to grow old together with her beloved Pasha. Yet wishful thinking would never get her anywhere nice, not this time. Her dreams had been shattered, and it was as if every shard of them had been cast at her soul, wounding it.

“Come on, big sis, you can’t keep moping around forever. You do not need some dork like him breaking your heart,” Anastasia said, sitting beside Olga.

“Please, dear sister, please let us arrange a party for you. We just want you to be happy again,” Tatiana said, placing a hand on her sister’s shoulder.

“Yeah, and perhaps you can find someone better than Pasha!” Maria piped up, her large blue eyes almost glowing with enthusiasm.

Olga only sobbed harder, and glanced back with reddened eyes and cheeks. It was almost as if she were slapped in the face multiple times. Eventually, the bedroom door opened, catching the attention of the other three sisters. Their already weak smiles disappeared when they saw the serious grimace upon the face of their father, Nicholas Romanov of Romanov Tech.

Nicholas Romanov was a man of modest stature, and his modest height almost reflected his personality. After all, he was not one to boast. His smaller light blue eyes from his Danish mother reflected his stubbornness. He was not one to look around for something new, often believing that he knew best. His brown hair, done in a buzzcut, glistened under the bedroom lights. Of course, he had been conscious of his appearance; he was the CEO of a medium sized family-owned company.

Clad in his black pinstripe suit with a yellow tie, Nicholas looked imposing with his blue eyes squinted and his mouth in a frown, despite his shorter size for a Romanov man. Even his strong willed daughter Anastasia kept silent while he gave Olga, his eldest daughter, a pat on the right shoulder. She was his pride and joy, and he would rather die than let her wallow in heartbroken misery for the rest of her life.

“Tatiana, please lead Maria and Anastasia out. I must console your older sister in private,” Nicholas said.

“Yes, Papa,” Tatiana said.

Tatiana, with one last look with her almond-shaped gray-blue eyes, frowned at the sight. She shook her head before leading Maria and Anastasia out of the bedroom. Now isolated with his most cherished daughter, Nicholas continued to pat her back.

“Please, sit up, and tell me what is wrong,” he said, despite having a hunch of what had broken the heart of his firstborn.

Olga lifted her head up from the pillow, and muttered, “Pasha d-dumped me-”

She then resumed weeping into her pillow, and her father remained silent, thinking of what to say.

“I know what it is like, my little  _ devushka _ . Your mother rejected me a few times before she finally accepted me,” Nicholas said.

Olga sat up on her queen size bed, gently stroking the light blue fabric of her blankets with her long, graceful fingers. She looked up into the eyes of her father, and averted her gaze almost in an instant. The shame she felt was great. What kind of young woman was she if she could not keep a respectable man like Pavel?

“Look into my eyes and tell me everything. I cannot help you if you do not tell me  _ how _ your breakup happened.”

“I- I can’t. I- I just want a hug…” she said, sniffling as she held back more tears.

As Nicholas embraced his eldest daughter, Olga buried her face into a sleeve, sobbing.

“I don’t need some doofus of a  _ boy toy _ … I don’t need him,” Olga said between sobs.

“Do not say that, my little Olishka. He may have left you, but that might have been for the better.”

“ _ How _ , Papa?”

“Perhaps you may find someone better than your ex-boyfriend. If not, I believe that you can still find happiness in your life.”

“How can I trust anyone with my heart again?” Olga asked, before bursting into a sob again.

“Do not worry about that, and just focus on your degree. You will open up yourself to someone else again… there are plenty of decent men out there in this world, waiting for an amazing woman like you.”

“Really, Papa?”

“Trust me… and your mother too, we know what it is like to find the  _ one _ ,” Nicholas spoke, patting Olga on the shoulder.

Olga looked at the floor of her bedroom, wondering if what her father said was true. She had just lost her boyfriend since high school, the dashing school athlete Pavel Voronov. How could she even envision a chance that she would find love again? Well, she did not know for certain. She then recalled a biblical verse that stated, “ _ It is not good for the man to be alone. _ ” This, of course, led her ever sharp mind to consider the possibility that it was not preferable to God for her to remain alone for life. Perhaps she could trust her father.

“Thank you, Papa, but I’ll have to wait,” Olga said, feigning a happier tone despite the feeling of a heart split in two.

_ November 15, 1987 _

Surrounded by the confines of her home bedroom, Olga sighed as she shut off her Macintosh PC. Pulling her hair, she muttered complaints at the thought of creating a compiler written in  _ ANSI C _ for even a subset of BASIC. Why did Computer Science have to be so damn tough? Well, not as tough as her breakup with her last boyfriend.. and neither had she found someone during the last two years since Pavel. As if that thought was not tortuous enough, she would often see posters of her ex-boyfriend posted around Berkeley campus. The memories would invade her mental peace, putting her into moodiness for much of the day. Her sole roommate, Dmitri Pavlovich, felt sorry for her, often taking her out to a cafe to enjoy some ice cream.

She laid on her bed, which was beside the window. Looking at her watch and glancing at the school calendar by her bed, Olga knew that her birthday had come. Her parents had gone on a business trip to Vancouver with her brother Alexei, leaving herself and her sisters behind. They would return the day after her birthday, but that time had not yet arrived.

Closing her eyes, she thought of the last birthday she had with her ex-boyfriend…

_ Everything was quite ideal on the 15th of November 1983. Her sisters, brother, and her parents had all come to the living room of the luxurious family mansion. Surrounded by pale yellow painted walls with classical paintings and family portraits upon them, the Romanovs all huddled together on the plush couch. In front of them was a television playing the end credits of the VHS version of Blade Runner. Alexei whooped with joy, and he began to praise the movie. For practical effects, acting, and the themes of humanity in the movie, it certainly deserved praise. _

_ Olga thought of the movie as slow paced, yet she enjoyed it as well, feeling happy that her father and mother had both brought the VHS of her most wanted favorite film. Before she could speak to her mother, the sound of knocks came from the front door. _

_ “I’ll get it!” Anastasia said, jumping off the couch to run towards the door. _

_ “Be careful where you run, sweetie,” Alexandra reminded, watching Anastasia. _

_ As Anastasia opened the door, Pavel peeked inside the main hall with his warm chocolate brown eyes. His slightly pointed chin and broad nose upon his oval face gave him a more masculine and mature appearance beyond his twenty-two years. Anastasia smirked back at her eldest sister, who had come into the hallway. _

_ “Your king awaits,Little Empress,” Anastasia teased. _

_ Olga giggled. “Oh, please… He’s not a king, but he is my dashing hunk of a boyfriend.” _

_ “I think Mashka would be happy to be an aunt a few years down the line, if you know what my drift is.” _

_ “Nastya!” _

_ Pavel laughed, a baritone sound that warmed the heart of the eldest Romanov daughter. It was a wonderful sound, warming like the cozy fireplace of a log cabin home. And Olga certainly felt at home with her boyfriend. She fell into the embrace of her boyfriend, who whispered into her right ear. _

_ “How are you doing, my smart cookie?” _

_ “Wonderful, it’s my birthday! Do you have a gift for me?” Olga whispered, jumping with excitement. _

_ “Yes, I have,” Pavel said, turning behind to pick up a wrapped box. _

_ Olga squealed, clapping her hands. “Oh, thank you so much! Could it be what I think it is?” _

_ “Open it and see.” _

_ Pavel followed Olga into the living room, where her parents greeted him. As Olga tore open the wrapping and opened the box, she gasped. It was a freshly built Commodore 64! _

_ “It comes with BASIC, of course, for all your coding needs, my smart little cookie,” Pavel said. _

_ “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” Olga repeated, hugging her boyfriend, then sobbing with joy… _

Olga opened her eyes, shaking her head. She glanced at the Commodore 64 which rested on her desk. She sighed. It had been three years, and the memory of Pavel still brought nothing but agony to her heart. Her wounds had only faded, but they had not yet disappeared. She could only wonder if she was ready to move on, as she opened her bedroom door.

“Olishka! Happy twenty-second birthday!” her sisters said.

Anastasia and Maria, of course, each had used an airhorn. Olga smiled. Despite losing her boyfriend, she still had the lively company of her youngest sister.

“Thank you all, this really means much to me, especially since... ”

“We know, and we wanted to let you know that I will be going to one of Dmitri Pavlovich’s frat parties.  _ You  _ will be coming along as well,” Tatiana said.

“Was this your idea?” Olga asked Anastasia, with an eyebrow raised.

“Maybe,” her youngest sister said, looking at the floor and swiveling on her tippy toes.

“And, if this is an attempt to set me up with my airhead jock of a  _ roommate- _ ”

“No, it’s not like that, sister. We all decided that you really need a  _ radical  _ time. And if Dmitri ever tries to get all handsy with you, I’ll give him a decent slap or two,” Tatiana said, smiling back at Olga.

“How does that sound?” Maria asked.

“I… I guess that’s fine with me,” Olga said, her voice quieter than falling leaves.

“You will enjoy it, you gotta trust Tatya!” Anastasia said.

“Will there be Nintendo games there?”

“Of course! Dmitri may not be an Einstein, but he really knows what a typical Berkeley student would need after a particularly  _ long  _ week of school,” Tatiana said.

“Well, I accept your terms.”

“Then get dressed… and do not worry about Nastya and Mashka, they will watch the house.”

_ One hour later _

Dmitri Chakh Bagov was no ordinary Berkeley student. He was known as “Hacko-Whiz” throughout the computer science student body, thanks to his second place medal of the International Obfuscated C Code Contest. He was still well-fit in bodily figure, as he often exercised by surfing, swimming, or strolling around his neighborhood. The girls loved him, but he had rebuffed every one of his occasional admirers. The boys also looked up to him, as he was a decent athlete in the local gymnasium. Still, he wished that he would find an actual friend or perhaps someone to love. But during a frat party? Heck no!

He sat with his fellow friends, chatting and laughing at another sex joke. His friend, Malama, laughed hard until his face turned red.

“I’d like a beer!” Dmitri asked, as he held out his cup.

A student poured some beer into his cup until it was half full. 

“Aw, bummer! Why not the whole cup?”

“Because you’ll be dancing with the  _ ladies _ , ya know,” the student said, winking.

“Ladies what? I’m just here to chat with some old homeboys of mine.”

“Well, if you didn’t know, the oldest daughter of the CEO of Romanov Tech is coming. Heard she’s a very excellent student in computer science stuff, and that she is making a fast interpreter for BASIC.”

“Interpreters? Interesting. I’ve tried making one for BASIC too, but it ran awfully slow. I’ve probably run into her a few times in CS 61a or so, but I’ve never really known her.”

Dmitri and the rest of the students then heard the familiar purr of a Ferrari Testarossa sports car. From one glance, they knew who was driving the car. Olga Romanova.

“She’s pretty hot too, wonder why her boyfriend dumped her,” the student said.

“Hmm… guess I’ll have to check her out,” Dmitri Bagov said…

Until he saw her tightly fitting black dress with a long skirt. The low cut of the neckline exposed a slight amount of cleavage, almost a tease for the eyes of any male student in the house. For Dmitri, he felt his pants becoming tighter, as he raked his gaze over her slender figure. His gaze drifted up her legs before lingering at her torso and modest bust, before looking at her fair, beautiful face. Her dark blonde hair was tied into Slavic braids going down her shoulders, and her cornflower blue eyes shone like sapphires. She laughed with her sister Tatiana as she stepped into the front yard of the Pavlovich mansion, tantalizingly out of his reach. Damn, was she a beauty.

“Ya like my roommate now?” Dmitri Pavlovich said, winking at him from his nearby seat.

“Shut up, Dmitri, all you care about is getting into girls’ panties.”

Dmitri Pavlovich laughed. “Just talk to her,  _ chicken _ .”

“ _ Fine. _ ”


	2. Meet Dmitri Bagov

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Big Pair attends the frat party hosted by Dmitri Pavlovich to blow off some steam. They never expected to find good company so soon...

“Hey, Malama, we should meet the newcomers,” Dmitri Bagov spoke, as he nudged his best friend Malama on the shoulder.

Malama raised an eyebrow. “Say  _ what _ ?”

“Like… um…”

Dmitri Malama, adjusted his eyeglasses, and looked around. His large blue eyes squinted around amongst the rowdy scene of partying college students. They either were snorting cocaine, taking LSD, or chugging beer. A few were having sex. The sight made Malama roll his eyes and scoff. He was just a computer science major like his friend, Dmitri Chakh Bagov! Malama averted his eyes away from the explicit sights of sweaty bodies grinding and thrusting into each other with a furious pace. He chuckled and shook his head. Of course he should have known the innate desires of his best friend since high school.

“Ah, so you want to, well, date Miss Olga Romanova?” Malama asked his friend.

Dmitri Bagov blushed. “Well, uh…”

“I think you gotta find a good girl sometime, you seem awfully lonely, ya know.”   


“Yes way! You two both seem lonely whenever I see you guys. I may not be cut out for the whole relationship thing, but I think that you guys might go well with my roommate… and her sister,” Dmitri Pavlovich said, grinning at both Bagov and Malama.

“Just shush, ditz boy. Try to tell us something we don’t know,” Dmitri Bagov shot back.

“Whatever floats your boat,  _ chickens _ ,” Dmitri Pavlovich said, then flapping his arms and making fake clucking sounds.

“ _ Bawk, bawk! Cluckity cluck cluck! _ ”

Dmitri Bagov grunted with annoyance, getting up from his seat. Though Dmitri Pavlovich could arrange and throw decent parties, he was not the brightest (or respectful) student. It was no surprise, since his primary focus was to snatch “some Cali chicks” and “smack some football ass”. As he walked away from the seats, his friend Malama followed behind him with precise steps to avoid the occasional drunk or high student.

“Guess we’re better off looking for some decent ladies to dance with tonight. It would suck if we were doing nothing but chatting the entire time,” Malama said, looking around the front yard with his blue eyes.

“Yes way, buddy-”

Dmitri Bagov froze again. His blue eyes had been ensnared by the wonderful sight of no one other than the eldest daughter of the Romanov Tech CEO. Olga Romanova sat beside her sister, Tatiana on some foldable chairs. The two chatting girls, dressed in black and yellow dresses and respectively, giggled. Both Bagov and Malama stared at the girls with wonder at their finely sculpted features. The cheeks and eyes of their girls seemed radiant. Tatiana, of course, had put her hair up into a bun. Olga had styled her dark blonde hair into braids. The two young students looked at each other, and they both knew what to do.

Olga and Tatiana then looked their way. They both ceased their chatter, with the sound of their voices fading to silence. A moment passed as the two young women stared at the two male students.

Olga could hardly believe it. She gazed with surprise at the two tall and athletic young men in front of her, and she could feel a strange sensation, as if an invisible current of energy was being conducted by her body. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage. Whether it was from surprise, fear, or something else was unknown to the young woman. She turned away, and began to silently converse with Tatiana.

“Tatya, he looks kind of… attractive,” Olga whispered.

“Oh, Olishka… you should not be hesitating now. It’s been two years, and this may be the only good opportunity you may get,” Tatiana replied, patting her sister on the shoulder.

“You’re right… and I saw you stare at that cute guy.”

“Of course I’d like to find a boyfriend!” Tatiana burst.

“Hey, miss, how about we dance later?” Malama said, flashing his trademark, wide grin.

Tatiana blushed. “Yeah… but what’s your name?”

“Dmitri Malama,  _ Your Highness _ ,” Malama replied, putting emphasis on the last two words.

Tatiana got up from the chair, smiling. “You’re funny, Dmitri. How about we have some snacks and drinks?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Tatiana and Dmitri Malama then walked away into the mansion, where the lights were on, and the sounds of italo disco music were blasting out the window. At least the mansion was far from the nearest home. At least there would not be any calls of late night noise disturbances to law enforcement. The thought comforted Olga, as the party would not worsen into something that her father would disapprove of. She watched her sister disappear into the contemporary styled mansion, and she felt strange. This was the first time that she had been alone with a male student since Pavel.

  
“So, Olga… what would you want to do tonight?” Dmitri Bagov said, walking alongside Olga.

“Well, I’ve heard about you, Dmitri Bagov. You’re the so-called infamous  _ Hacko-Whiz _ in the Berkeley Computer Science student body. I’d like to get to know you as a friend… but it’s been a while since I’ve been with a young man. I don't know if I am ready to risk myself in the romantic business thing,” Olga said, then looking down at the ground.

“I’d love to be your boyfriend, and it’ll be alright!”

“Sounds good, Hacko-Whiz,” Olga said, grinning.

For the first time in two years since her devastating and painful breakup with Pavel Voronov, Olga Romanova felt happy. She did not dare to directly confess her feelings of attraction to the infamous programming star of UC Berkeley. Although she enjoyed programming and working with computers just like Dmitri Bagov did, she felt unsure if they had anything else in common. Also, the young aspiring programming student herself had doubts if Dmitri Bagov would ever be a good boyfriend to fill the hole in her heart that Pavel had left behind. She would have to wait and see if her relationship with Dmitri Bagov would bloom into something else… something deeper and more beautiful.

The two young students then went inside the mansion. They entered the well decorated parlor of the mansion, which was built in a classy noir deco style. Olga had to admit that the pale yellow walls and white columns were pleasing to the eye. Even promiscuous and showy jocks such as her roommate had good taste. All seemed well, as the occasional passing student nodded in recognition of Olga or her newfound companion. But then, she caught sight of another student that she would rather forget. Right there in the living room, surrounded by his fellow football teammates and his  _ second _ girlfriend, Pavel Voronov stood as tall and proud as ever.

Glancing at Olga, who wore a grimace on her face, Dmitri Bagov frowned. He deduced that the young woman was looking at her ex-boyfriend.

“Please, we should go somewhere else,” Olga said, her voice quieter.

Dmitri Bagov stood in front of her with his back to Pavel. “I understand. How about we go to one of the guest rooms?” 

“Wait, you’ve been here before?”

“Well, yeah! I’m kind of a campus celebrity since my second place award from the International Obfuscated C Code Contest thing. So, Dmitri Pavlovich, your roommate, actually invites me ever since I won that prize.”

“That is hella impressive. Have you gotten any job offers from that programming feat?”

“Actually, all the companies that deal with computer code actually want programmers that write clean and maintainable code, not the daredevil ones that write some really wack code,” Dmitri Bagov spoke, laughing.

“You sound like a totally cool guy.”

“And I like curious and smart girls with a sense of humor,” Dmitri said as he and Olga went into a guest bedroom.

“Oh… so you want to date me?”

“I guess that we’ve already started. But if no one is looking, why don’t we play a game?”

“What game? Well, I hope that it’s not a _wham, bam, thank you ma’am_ sort of thing!”   


“Heck no! I’d never do that!”

“Nor would my sister. I don’t usually say this, but I believe my sister would be horrified by what we’re doing now, talking of doing the nasty.”   


“It’s not nasty because God made it. It’s gotta be good… if done the safe, right way.”

“I dunno about that idea about uh, sex. You are Christian as well, no?”

“Yes, Russian Orthodox, just like my late parents, but I’m no saint either.”

Olga gasped, stepping back. “I’m sorry to hear that, Dmitri. I did not know that you lost your parents.”

“Don’t be. At least I’m fine. I got over that a while ago. How about we talk about something else, like quizzing each other on some programming knowledge?”

Olga nodded. “Sounds cool, and what’s the stakes?”

“Well, just to make both of us try harder, how about we agree that the loser strips down to his or her underclothing?”

Olga blushed again. It had been a while since she had undressed in front of a member of the opposite sex, but this seemed so sudden. She sighed, running her hands through her hair. She needed to consider if this would be a right thing to do. Her mother would not approve, and there was the possibility that Dmitri Bagov wanted to just get into her panties. On the other hand, the other side of her wanted to have some fun and good company, especially after two years of loneliness and pessimism. The thought of showing off her slender figure appealed to her. If so, she would feel a certain sense of liberation and empowerment as a young woman. The idea held water. Either way, she would benefit.

“Well, Dmitri Bagov, you have a deal,” she said as confidently as she could, looking into his blue eyes.

“Alright, let’s start straight away. What is the time complexity of a linear search in an array?”

“Big-O N, or  _ n _ times for an array of length  _ n _ ,” Olga said, smiling.

“Correct, now you ask me a question.”

“Hmm… how would you reverse the contents of an array?”

“Ah, amping up the game, are we? Assuming that you don’t care about the storage space of the program, I would first cache the highest accessible index of the array and then traverse the array from that highest index to zero, then adding each element into the array.”

Olga nodded. “You are right, I do not care about memory usage. Guess that we will both do our best to have solutions that just  _ work _ … for now.”

“Game on, my darling.”

_ One hour later _

“Aww, crap. Now, if you call me a ditz when I’m in my bikini, I’ll throttle you!” Olga muttered angrily.

“Chill. If it helps, I can take off my shirt as well.”

“Fine.”

Olga took a deep breath, then undoing the straps of her black dress. She felt her back tingle as goosebumps budded on her fair skin. Little by little, her soft, smooth, peachy skin was revealed to the eyes of someone that she had just met. What had she gotten herself into- wait… this was her chance to attract a nice young man and find love once again. No more crying and weeping over lost loves would torment her nights. If she were honest with herself, she wanted to have the warm, comfortable sensation of someone sleeping next to her through the nights. She smiled, and the gears in her mind began to turn. Tatiana or Mama would never approve, but this would not bring any harm.

Olga flicked her braids with a roll of her head as the dress came down. “I’m not that  _ bad _ , right?”

Dmitri felt his cock stiffen within his khaki pants. Those  _ stupid _ khaki pants! He should have worn the more flexible Adidas pants he had back in his apartment closet. The sight of Olga in her pink bikini was something he would not unsee.

"Guess I'll take that as a yes."

Olga turned around, and swayed her hips with slow, sensual motions as she stepped closer and closer on the wooden floor towards Dmitri Bagov, who grinned and removed his shirt. This revealed his well-sculpted abs. At the sight of his well-toned skin and lean muscles, Olga felt the heat in her cheeks intensify. If her cheeks were not red before, they were definitely reddening now! Her body was goading her to continue, with her heart pounding faster, and the heat between her legs grew hotter as her gaze sunk down to the large tent in the khaki pants. She moistened her sweet pink lips with a swipe of her tongue. This only aroused Dmitri Bagov even more. He stepped closer until his chest touched her breasts. Both of them were gazing into each other’s eyes, panting as if they had just run miles to find something. Now they knew what it might have been all along.

“Your move,  _ princess _ ,” Dmitri Bagov teased… before he tickled Olga underneath her arms.

Olga giggled, her blue eyes shining with joy. “Oh, stop! Stop!”

Dmitri stopped his tickling. Man, did that feel good. 

“So you’re ticklish. Duly noted,” Dmitri said, smirking.

“How about you?” Olga asked, launching herself at him to tickle him.

Dmitri laughed. It was comforting to know that the young man was ticklish as well. It was a wonderful baritone sound that faintly reminded Olga of her last boyfriend. She frowned for a split second, but mustered a smile again when she thought of Dmitri Bagov again. At least she would not be alone… Dmitri also thought the same, as he squeezed her right hand.

Still, they would have to do something about their pent-up, aching arousals. Olga gasped when her pelvis brushed over the hardening tent in the khaki pants worn by her accomplice. Dmitri groaned, but widened his eyes when the realization set in. The fog of hazy lust and desire would soon overtake their minds if they did not stop. This would be the edge of the cliff before they could have tumbled down the ravine of blinding pleasure.

“Olga, if you keep doing this to me, I might not be  _ responsible _ ,” Dmitri pleaded, stepping away.

Olga frowned, looking down. The rejection stung! As much as she and him wanted to continue, her newfound accomplice was right. It was too soon, she thought, sighing.

“Then how about we go on a date, just to see if we make a good pair?” Olga asked, pouting at Dmitri.

“Then what do we call ourselves,  _ the Binary Pair _ ?”

Olga then walked to her dress on the floor. She then clothed herself again. “I like the sound of it… the Binary Pair.”

“Yeah, how about we meet up next Saturday?”

“Totally!”

Dmitri placed on his shirt, taking a deep breath. Their pent up sexual frustration would pass. At least he knew who to dance with that night. Dmitri Pavlovich would never stop bugging him after this!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the tease! The good stuff will come in the next chapter.
> 
> 80s slang:  
> ditz: An unintelligent or unattractive person.  
> Yes way: Yes or Absolutely!


	3. Come With Me If You Want To Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olga and Dmitri spend their first official date together. Along the way, they run into some relatives and classmates...

_ November 21, 1987 _

Outside of a coffee shop, Olga sighed as she glanced at her watch. Already, ten minutes had passed since half past nine o’ clock in the morning. Still, there was no sign of her brand new boyfriend, Dmitri Bagov. She wondered what had happened on his end. Worry filled her nerves, making herself shudder. What if he had another family emergency? No, that did not seem so likely. In fact, Dmitri Bagov had visited her home earlier to talk with her parents about the upcoming date, and they both had agreed. 

The young woman waited and waited for another five minutes, which felt like some of the longest in her life. Olga sighed, checking her watch again. It was forty-five past nine o’ clock. She turned to walk into the shop, but she then spotted the reflection of a 1980s Ford sedan on the glass doors. She turned around with a surprised expression on her face, clutching her purse to her chest. It was the Ford Fairmont car owned by her newfound boyfriend! She could not help walking to the car once it was parked.

“What took you so long? I began to worry about you!” Olga spoke.

“Well, I ran into a traffic jam. There was a traffic accident in the way, and I had to squeeze through one out of four lanes on the boulevard. Sorry to keep ya waiting,” Dmitri said, flashing a pearly white grin.

Olga sighed again. “Enough talking, Dmitri, let’s get our drinks.”

“Yes way, milady.”

Olga rolled her eyes as her companion stepped out of his car, dressed in a red aviator jacket, white shirt, and dark-blue jeans. Dark tinted eyeglasses hid his blue eyes. Olga wore a white blouse with a neon pink skirt down to her knees, thanks to her more conservative taste in fashion. She looked over the clothing choice of her now boyfriend, humming in disapproval of his choice of clothing while she walked with him.

“Ah, don’t worry about my clothing. I really like to feel like Marty McFly,” Dmitri said, grinning again.

“Like that guy in Back to the Future? I liked the saga, especially its happy endings,” Olga replied.

“Who knows? Perhaps we may find a happy ending together… we sorta fit together!”

“ _ Sorta _ ?”

“Hey, we’ve only been together for a week.”

“Alright, Captain Obvious,” Olga said, rolling her eyes.

Dmitri opened the front door for Olga to step inside. The young woman appreciated this gesture of respect, and she liked the kindness that Dmitri was showing her. Perhaps they would make a good pair, the Binary Pair. Upon stepping inside, Dmitri spotted a familiar brunette, blue eyed woman in a white blouse and blue skirt. Irina A. Romanova, another computer science major, sat beside a dark haired man with an athletic build, wearing a signature neon yellow sports shirt that read “ **Felix 87** ” on the back. Dmitri knew who he was: Felix Yusupov, the best friend of Dmitri Pavlovich. Like his best friend, Felix enjoyed the high life of the UC Berkeley football team: winning goals, picking up (and dumping) girls, and partying for entire nights. This time, the young, rising football star had finally found love.

Felix whispered something in the ear of his girlfriend, stroking her ass. She blushed and giggled.

“Cousin  _ ‘Rina _ !” Olga exclaimed, quickening her steps to Felix and Irina.

“ _ Big O _ ! Good to see you, now with the Hacko-Whiz as your boyfriend!” Irina said, waving her hand.

Irina scowled at Felix, who had fake yawned. She elbowed him hard in the ribs, which made him flinch. Immediately, he felt a small amount of regret for his actions.

“Sorry, Olga, feeling somewhat sleepy today,” Felix said, laughing.

“It’s alright, but don’t get any funny ideas.” Olga said, before continuing to the counter with Dmitri Bagov.

Both Olga and Dmitri ordered two cappuccino coffee drinks. They did not have to wait very long for their order, as the queue of pending orders was short.  _ Good _ , Olga thought, feeling satisfied that everything was proceeding smoothly. After Dmitri had arrived late to the date, Olga did not want to waste more time that she could have enjoyed with her boyfriend. She smiled again, thinking of the strip game and first dance she had with Dmitri Bagov. He was a nice, loyal, and intelligent young man of twenty-four years approaching his prime. Unlike the previous boyfriend, he shared a common passion: programming.

“Where do you want to sit?” Olga asked Dmitri, who glanced around.

“Probably next to your cousin Irina. She’s pretty rad, if you ask me.”

“Well… um…”

“No worries, I can tell off Felix if he gets too out of hand. Besides, he has his girl to keep him in check.”

After sitting down, the two were silent for a few minutes. They sipped their cappuccino drinks, wondering what to say to the other. Despite appearing relaxed, both of them were feeling nervous and unsure of where to start. Dmitri resisted the urge to shake his leg, something that he did when he felt nervous. He had never dated one of his fellow students of the other sex before. Olga fared no better. She looked out the window, worrying that she would make an awkward first impression. What if she did not appear good enough for her new boyfriend? She hated the thought of going over another breakup.

They then looked at Irina and Felix, who glanced back at them and smiled as if they were expecting something. Felix whispered something in the ear of his girlfriend, and she giggled, swatting at his arm. Olga shifted uneasily in her seat.

“Just ignore Felix, he’s not really the brightest student on campus...” Dmitri Bagov whispered.

“Like yourself?” Olga whispered back, looking back with her sparkling blue eyes.

“I would be honored if that title existed,” Dmitri Bagov said, chuckling.

Olga took a deep breath, glancing at the window with a distant gaze.

“Relax, we have our whole lives to get to know each other. I am  _ sure  _ that we make a good pair,” Dmitri Bagov said.

“Sorry, I just… it’s been a while since the whole thing with Pavel Voronov.”

“Don’t be sorry, be happy.”

“You’re right, maybe I have been thinking of my past too much,” Olga sighed, resting her head on her hands.

“Well, if it cheers you up, you still have a lotta life ahead of you. That is plenty of time for us to know each other.”

“You’re right, Dmitri. I just want to forget about Pavel and move on, but it’s hella hard!”

“I’ll help you achieve that, Olga. Just forget about that  _ dip _ , it was pretty bogus of him to dump you,” Dmitri said before drinking from his coffee drink.

“Thanks, you’re a nice guy. Does that you mean you have a surprise for me?”

“Well, I do have exactly two movie tickets to the nearest  _ AMC _ theater.”

Olga squealed, putting her hands to her mouth. “Really? Yes way?”

“Yup, it’ll be just the two of us, watching  _ Terminator _ .”

Olga and Dmitri chatted, and they even laughed together as they told their favorite jokes and lines. Both of them knew that they were foolish in their hesitance. They each had been given a chance for love, and they would gladly accept it. Olga herself felt comfortable and happy, a feeling she had not felt very often since her breakup. Again, she had to admit Dmitri Bagov was fine-looking and a good person to be with.

Still, it would take more time for the wounds to completely heal for the eldest Romanov daughter. She was not completely ready yet to open her heart to Dmitri Bagov despite his kindness and intelligence. Even the undressing game she had played with him was only for the sake of having some fun, barring their lust. For now, a simple visit to the movie theater would do.

“We should go, Olga, there is a lot ahead of us,” Dmitri said.

Olga nodded. “Agreed.”

_ One hour later… _

“Here we are, The go-to AMC theater in San Fran: Metreon Sixteen,” Dmitri said, pointing to a large building.

Olga looked out of the window of the Ford Fairmont, taking in the sight. Made primarily of glass and steel, the AMC theater Metreon Sixteen was a recent addition. Eventually, the building would become obsolete in the future, she thought. And it would be demolished or remade anew.

“I’ve wanted to go there before, but it was still under construction. I remember asking my parents if we could go there, but they often said that they were busy,” she said.

“Now it looks like you might get your chance,” her boyfriend said, driving the car into a parking lot.

This made Olga smile. Now not only would she watch a blockbuster of her favorite genre, but she would not watch it alone. She could hardly wait to see  _ Terminator _ , a cinematic hit by James Cameron. She looked at the theater while Dmitri parked the car, then shutting off the engine.

“The show will start in fifteen minutes, Olga. I think we should get inside that theater now,” Dmitri said.

“Totally!” Olga exclaimed, smiling.

“See? We even think similarly.”

Both of them left the car, and Dmitri made sure to close the doors and lock them. He packed the car keys in one deep pocket of his blue jeans. Hopefully he would not find fake vomit on his driver seat like last time. He rolled his eyes just thinking about it. Stupid-ass doofuses.

The two of them went inside the theater lobby, and they gave their tickets to the theater officials, who nodded in approval. Within the lobby, they saw a large countertop with staff working to serve food and drinks to the moviegoers. Both of the young students liked the aroma of cheese and butter popcorn wafting through the ventilated air.

“Enjoy your time, Miss Romanov,” one official said.

Olga stepped back in surprise. “How...”

“Sorry, it’s just that almost all of San Fran knows your family, especially your father. Anyways, may you have an excellent time!”

“Uh, thanks,” Olga said quietly.

They then quickly brought a medium-sized popcorn bag before rushing through the passages to their designated room. Dmitri accompanied Olga into Room Ten, only a few minutes before the screen lit up. There, they took their seats in the back. As soon as the opening intro of the movie played, the sounds of explosions and lasers between killing machines and a ragtag human resistance flooded their senses. Flashes of white-hop lasers blazed across the ruins of Los Angeles. Flying machines and lethal humanoid T-800 androids patrolled amongst the ruins, scouring the wasteland for their prey.

“Digging the movie?” Olga whispered to her boyfriend.

“Yes way, Big O!” Dmitri quietly replied.

They watched much of the entire film without a word. Words were unnecessary. Words would only do harm to the mood of the moment. Unconsciously, Olga held Dmitri Bagov by the hand as the movie reached its final climax. They both watched Sarah Connor lead her hunter to its death.

“ _ You’re terminated, mother fucker! _ ” the heroine said, pressing the button.

The watchers cheered as the hydraulic press crushed the T-800 into scrap metal. Olga and Dmitri then leaned on each other. Yes, there was hope for them after all. With every end came a new beginning.

“How was the movie?” Olga asked.

“It was siiick! Loved the special effects, the acting, and the soundtrack. The grim sounds really match the tech noir feel of this film.”

“You should be a film critic, then.”

“Nah, I’m more of a tech-savvy dude. In fact, one of my dreams is to get hired by a decent company once I hone my programming skills.”

“Like my father’s?”

“You must be reading my mind.”

“Nope, I’m just your really smart-ass girlfriend.”

Dmitri laughed. He would definitely enjoy the next couple years of dating this young woman. During those years, their attraction would morph into something greater…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read a general article on Felix Yusupov and Irina Alexandrovna Romanova, just so I could get some aspects of their personalities and backstories defined. They actually had a good marriage for decades, which would make it likely for them to have a healthy romance in this 1980s AU. Also, Olga was disdainful of Felix Yusupov during the time she met him in a war hospital. This was partly because of his commoner-like clothing tastes. Similarly, Felix Yusupov dresses and acts unformally on his date with Irina in the cafe, and Olga does not like it! I really think that Dmitri Pavlovich would be a big influence on Felix.
> 
> Generally, the Grand Dukes will be frat boys, college athletes, or some political science majors with a few exceptions. The Grand Duchesses might focus on more office jobs, including those like Olga. Although the real Dmitri Bagov was a soldier, I decided to keep him a CS major rather than a womanizing jock. The whole jock and nerd trope seemed overused to me.
> 
> Unfortunately, Yakov Sverdlov and Rasputin will not be introduced in the story, which will actually be a four-shot. I did not know where to put them in the plot under tight constraints. Yakov Yurovsky will come in the next chapter (the wedding epilogue)!


End file.
